Faceless King, Hidden Princess (COMPLETED)

Chapter 18

Because Aro was made Wonhwa, it meant the Queen will be able to kill her, because that is the fate of Wonhwa. But my brother and I need to find a way to stop that from happening. Ever since the Queen tried to kill Aro for knowing her son's identity, she's been thinking of creative plans to use as an excuse to kill her.

I was sitting in the lecture room with my brother that night. Things were tense. Seonu was breathing down his neck, waiting for him to mess up and so he could kill him. But, that is not happening on my watch. At the first sign of him threatening my brother's life, he will be dead before he knows it.

"What are you going to do now? You can't let her win." I told him. "She's taking advantage of the power she has over you."

"I have a plan." He said, and before he could elaborate, Pa-Oh came into the room. "Princess Sookmyung and Miss Aro are going to Wonhwa Nammo's shrine before their inauguration."

"Do you mean Princess Nammo who Joonjung killed?" My brother asked him. "That is the rumour, but some say she was framed. Some say she is alive since her body wasn't found. This is your only chance."

My brother didn't hesitate before answering. "Get Aro out while they are returning from the shrine."

"And then?" Pa-Oh asked. "Send her anywhere. Send her to a place out of the Queen's reach." I answered, no hesitation. My brother nodded. "This is the most I can do." He said.

Banryu wanted to go for a walk again today, so I went outside to look for him. I felt my arm being grabbed gently, and looked to my left, and it was him. "Hi." He didn't reply he just pulled me behind him, and we went to go sit down. I looked at the ground, playing with the stones, waiting for him to say something. But he didn't so I looked up at him, and he was staring at me, a huge smile on his face.

I got a small bit intimidated after a while. "Stop staring at me." I laughed softly.

"I keep wanting to look at you." He said, shyly, making me smile. He went to reach out and touch my face, but he retracted his hand. "What is it?"

"I don't even deserve to look at you. If I touch you as well, I might be punished." He said, and I laughed softly, before taking his face in both of my hands. "You've suffered enough. I'm not sure what more you'd be punished for. If anyone deserves to be punished it's your parents, not you. No more sadness and guilt okay? Promise me." I said to him. He smiled and nodded, and then I pulled him in for a kiss.

Later on we had class with Wihwa but Seonu and Hansung were missing. We heard footsteps and turned around and Seonu was carrying a lifeless Hansung in his arms. Wihwa's smile faded. Seonu came down the stairs and set him on the ground in the middle of the class floor. His lips were pale and his hands were covered in blood. He was dead. What happened. My hand flew to my mouth, tears forming. "What's wrong with him?" Yeoul panicked, kneeling to his friend.

My free hand found Banryu's, holding it tightly, and he held it just as tight in return.

Wihwa kneeled to the two boys and put two fingers to Hansung's neck, checking for his pulse, but pulled them away in defeat. This wasn't fair.

His body was put into a coffin and we were all in the class, staring at it, emotionless. Wondering why someone as young and innocent as Hansung could be taken from us. My hand never left Banryu's grip.

"If you wish to cry, cry all you want. Silla must still have people who think they can control Hwarang and do as they please. However, never again. Never lose a friend ever again. Don't let the order that someone else created be the order that you hold yourselves to. You're not pieces on a chess board. You are freer than anyone. You are Hwarang. Never forget that you are Hwarang."

He might say we're not pieces on a chess board. But it sure as hell felt like it.

We found out why and how he was killed. Dansae was asked to kill the king, who he thought was Seonu, by his grandfather. He had poison on the sword and as he was fighting Seonu, which beforehand he begged Seonu to avoid it as much as he could and not get a cut and Hansung jumped in front of Seonu, saving him, but he grabbed the sword, and the poison got to him through his hands.

My brother and I were with Wihwa a few days later. "You said to gain people. To gain Park Youngshil." My brother said. "Did you gain him?" Wihwa asked. "No. He makes my stomach curl."

"Your Majesty, what do you mean?" Wihwa asked. "There are times when you must do something disgusting to achieve your goal."

"I don't want the Hwarangs to be hurt any longer. I must protect the Hwarang's myself."

"How do you plan to do that. You can't even befriend an enemy because you dislike it, and you also can't protect a friend pretending to be a King for you so...how will you protect Hwarang House?" I smiled to myself and Jinheung smirked too.

My brother and I arrived at the Palace. "You ready?" I asked him.

He nodded and we opened the doors and walked in. My brother had dressed up in his King-like clothes. The Queen and the officials all looked up at him in shock. I stayed at the doors, watching my brother walk up the long aisle, the officials staring at him as he walked by. I smiled proudly at him. He stopped at the top and turned to them. He looked at both sides before speaking.

"I am the King of Silla, King Jinheung."

I smiled. Finally.